Archery bow and arrow rack



March 26, 1963 w. A. THOMAS 3,08 ,878

ARCHERY Bow AND ARROW RACK Filed Aug. 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n v Q N 2" I l E 3 PDUQ N i 2 1 3 m "3 L1. n I LL 1 3 1 Q o 5 \S 4 o 92 U N l) J0 Q i'l a INVENTOR WILLIAM A. THOMAS A'ITO EY March 26, 1963 w. A. THOMAS ARCHERY BOW AND ARROW RACK 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. 21. 1960 o. m .o 3 @E a k a W mu wn L V W 2 0m On S/////A///// m1 WILLIAM A. THOMAS NEY In In United States Patent 3,082,878 AR CHERY BG'W AND ARRDW RACK Wiiiiam A. Thomas, RD. 2, Sharpstdiie, Pa. Filed Apr. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 23,679 3 Claims. (Cl. 211-6ii) This invention relates generally to the provision of a highly simplified and improved rack for storing archery bows and arrows.

It is an object of this invention to provide an archery bow and arrow rack wherein the bows and arrows may be stored in a minimum of space. Prior art racks for storing elongated archery bows are adapted to be mounted against a vertical wall and the bows are usually stored horizontally whereby the same occupy a maximum of usable wall space. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the bows are stored in vertical positions and occupy a minimum of usable wall space. Further, the arrows are fanned to allow a maximum number thereof to be stored in a given area While yet providing sufficient spacing to protect the relatively delicate feathers thereof against damage.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an archery bow and arrow rack which comprises means to positively retain the bows and arrows in the rack and to prevent the unauthorized removal thereof. As will be hereinafter more fully apparent, the bow and arrow rack is provided with a storage compartment having a door and when this door is closed, removal of the bows and/ or the arrows is prevented. This is particularly advantageous as a safety feature since, of course, the tips of the arrows are very sharp and can easily cause serious injury to children, etc. Further, archery equipment is relatively expensive and the disclosed locking means prevents removal of this equipment.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an archery bow and arrow rack which is of highly simplified construction but yet provides a pleasing appearance when assembled. The bow and arrow rack is fabricated in such a manner that the same may be shipped to the point of use in a very compact package whereby freight or postage charges are reduced to an absolute minimum. At the point of use, the bow and arrow rack is quickly and easily assembled by even the most unskilled user.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a rack for archery bows and arrows having improved means for holding the arrows in place. This means consists of an arrow holding member formed from resilient material having integral spring clips which are adapted to receive and retain the arrows.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character above described wherein the sharp tips of the arrows are protected. This is accomplished by providing a mat of resilient material having depressions therein for receiving the sharp tips of the arrows. Also, the more dangerous hunting arrows are stored at the rear of the rack whereby the target arrows define a series of bars which prevent careless handling of the hunting arrows.

The above, as Well as other objects and advantages, will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side perspective view of a bow and arrow rack constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 with the door, the facing members and locking means removed;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are fragmentary side sectional views taken along the sections lines III-III and IV=IV, respectively, of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the elongated arrow holding member used in the bow and arrow rack of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side sectional view taken along the section line VIVI of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a front view showing my bow and arrow rack in collapsed relation ready for shipment; and

FIGURE 8 is an end View of the assembly shown in FIGURE 7.

Referirng now to the drawing, and initially to FIGURE 1 thereof, the reference numerals 1t) and 11 designate a pair of longitudinally spaced and vertically extending side members. Each of the side members is provided with a pair of outwardly facing horizontal slots 12 adjacent the ends thereof. These slots terminate short of the rear edges of the members 10 and 11. The lower pair of slots 12 in the side members 10 and 11 are adapted to nestingly receive a correspondingly slotted and transversely eX- tending bottom member '13 having a pair of outwardly projecting end portions 14. A top member 15 is also correspondingly slotted and is received within the upper pair of slots 12 in the side members It and 11. The top member 15 also comprises a pair of outwardly project ing end portions 16 which are vertically spaced from the projections 14 of the bottom member 13 and carries an upper facing member 22 which is attached to and depends from the forward face thereof. When the side members 15) and 11, the bottom member 13 and the top member 15 are assembled, a very rigid box-like rectangular structure is provided. Any convenient attachment means, such as screws, glue, etc., may be employed to positively secure these members in assembled relation if desired. The bow and arrow rack of the present invention is adapted to be mounted against a vertical surface and, when the top and bottom members are secured to such a surface, the side members are locked with respect to the top and bottom members because of the slotted interconnections therebetween and it is impossible to remove the side members lti and 11.

Each of the end portions 16 of the top member has a generally rectangular holding aperture 18 therein and an entrance slot 19 which extends between the holding aperture 18 and the forward edge of the top member 15. The entrance slots 19 are angled with respect to the vertical axes of the holding apertures 18 and perform a very important function in locking the archery bows in the rack as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The end portions 14 of the bottom member 13 are also provided with rectangular holding apertures 2% which are aligned with the holding apertures 18 in the projecting end portions 16 of the upper member 15. Entrance slots 21 extend between the holding apertures 29 and the forward edge of a bottom member and these slots are disposed in vertical relation with respect to axes of the holding apertures 18 and 20.

As shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, an archery bow 23 is adapted to be supported in a vertical position by each pair of the vertically aligned holding apertures 18 and 20. A conventional archery bow comprises thin tapering slot-like end portions 24 and an enlarged hand grip portion 25. The holding apertures 18 and 20 are so dimensioned with respect to the how that once the bow is inserted in the holding apertures the enlarged hand grip portion 25 limits vertical movement of the bow. The entrance slots 19 and 21 are of such a size that when inserting the bow 23 in the holding apertures the bow must be tilted in the same direction as the angled entrance slots 19 whereby the upper end portion 24 of the bow will pass through the entrance slot 1% into the holding aperture 18. After the upper end portion is received within the hold- 7 hold two archery bows.

ing aperture 18 the lower end portion 24 of the bow may be moved through the entrance slot 21 into the holding aperture 26'.

To remove the bow 23 from the rack, the above procedure is reversed and the lower end portion 24 must be removed before the how can be turned and tilted to allow the withdrawal of the upper end portion 24. As will be hereinafter more fully apparent, the bow and arrow rack comprises means to block the lower entrance slots 21. When the lower entrance slots 21 are blocked, the bow is effectively locked in the bow and arrow rack since vertical movement is limited by the enlarged hand grip portion 25 and the bow cannot be turned or tilted to a position where the upper end portion could be removed through the entrance slot \19. The bow and arrow rack shown in the drawing is adapted to accommodate and However, by providing a plurality of the holding apertures 18 and 20 and the entrance slots 19 and 2-1 the bow holding capacity of the rack can be substantially increased.

Intermediate the upper and lower ends of the side members and 11 there are provided a pair of horizontal ways 27 and slidably received in these ways is a shelf member 28 which has an upwardly extending facing member 29 secured to the forward edge thereof. As shown, the shelf member 28 is disposed between the upper member and the lower member 13. A door 30 is pivotally attached to the forward edge of the bottom member 13 by a pair of hinges 31 and is adapted to close the space between the bottom member and the intermediate member. The arrangement is such that a compartment defined by the door 30, side members it and 11 and the intermediate member 28 is provided for'the storing of archery accessories.

As previously mentioned, the bow and arrow rack'of the present invention comprises means to block the en trance slots 21 whereby bows are locked in and may not be removed from the rack. A pair of transversely extending metal straps 33 are pivotally mounted and carried by the bottom member 13 and are of sufiicient length to extend in blocking relation past the entrance slots 21 when the door 30 is closed. As shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawing, the inner'lower edges of the door 30 are provided with grooves 34 adapted to receive the straps 33. The arrangement is such that when the door 30 is closed the straps -33 block the entrance apertures 21 and the bows cannot be removed unless and until the door 30 is opened to permit the retraction of the straps. =Any convenient key lock 35 may be mounted in the door 39 and the facing member 29 for locking the door in closed relation and preventing unauthorized removal of the archery equipment.

The intermediate member 28 is covered with a mat 36 having a plurality of depressions 38 therein. The mat 36 is preferably formed from resilient material and the depressions 38 are adapted to receive the tips of arrows. In this manner the tips of the arrows are very efi'eotively protected against damage and wear as should be readily apparent.

The upper member '15 has two rows of arrow receiving apertures 39 therein between the side members it) and 11. Target arrows 41 (see FIGURE 2) are placed in the arrow receiving apertures 39 with the tips thereof resting in the depressions 38 of the mat 36. It will be noted that the apertures 39 in the top member 15 are spaced with respect to the depressions 38 in the mat 36 whereby the arrows .are fanned so that the larger feathered ends of the arrows are spaced further apart than the pointed ends thereof. The arrangement is such that an appreciable number of arrows may be stored in a minimum of space but yet sufficient clearance is provided so that the features of the arrows are not in contact and are not damaged. 7

Target arrows having slim tips will fit through the arrow receiving apertures 39 while hunting arrows hav.

ing larger and barbed tips will not fit through these apertures. To accommodate hunting arrows in the bow and arrow rack of this invention, the center portion of the upper member 15 is of less width dimension than the end portions thereof and has a dove tail slide 44 on the rear edge thereof that extends between the side members 10 and 11. Slidably received over the dove tail slide 44 is an elongated arrow holding member 45 having a dove tail way in the forward face thereof. The arrow holding member 45 is preferably formed from a resilient material and is provided with a plurality of rearwardly extending semi-circular clips 46. The clips 46 have sufficient inherent resiliency that the shafts of hunting arrows may be forced therebetween. The barbed tips of the hunting arrows rest in suitable depressions 38 provided in the resilient mat 3'6 and the hunting arrows are fanned in the manner shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. It will be noted that the target arrows are adapted to be stored at the front of the rack while the hunting arrows having very sharp and barbed tips are placed at the back of the rack. Thus, the rows of target arrows disposed in front of the hunting arrows provide barriers or bars which serve to prevent handling of or accidental injury from the very sharp and barbed tips on the hunting arrows.

In many instances, it is also desirable to lock the arrows in the rack whereby the same cannot be removed and this is accomplished in the present invention by providing a hood 5%) having a rear member 51 that extends down the back of the bow and arrow rack. The hood covers and protects the upper feathered ends of the arrows against accidental handling or damage as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, and it is impossible to remove the arrows from the rack until the hood is removed. The rear member 51 of the hood assembly has a depending lug 53 at the bottom thereof. When the hood assembly is properly positioned the lug 53 is adapted to receive the rear end of a dowel pin 5'4 which is slidably mounted from the underside of the intermediate member 28 by means of a fixture 55. The dowel pin 54 is of a sufficient length to extend from the door 30 through the aperture in the depending lug 53. Thus, when the door 30 is closed the dowel pin extends through the aperture in the lug 53 and it is impossible to remove the hood assembly from the bow and arrow rack. However, when the door is open, the dowel pin may be pulled forwardly whereby the protective hood assembly can be easily removed.

In FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawing, the bow and arrow rack of thepresent invention is shown in disassembled knocked down relation ready for shipment to the ultimate user. The side members 10 and 11 are stacked in facing relation and the door 30 and bottom member 13 are folded in overlying relation and placed on top of the side members. The top member 15 is placed beneath the resultant pack with its attached upper facing member 22 extending upwardly along one side of the pack. The intermediate member 28 is then placed below the top member with the lower facing member 29 projecting upwardly on the side of the pack opposite to the upper facing member 22. It will be noted that all portions of the bow and arrow rack, with the exception of the hood assembly and the facing members, are fabricated from the same size material. This substantially reduces manufacturing cost and the compact nesting disassembled bow and arrow rack as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawing allows the rack to be shipped in a minimum of space and with a minimum of transportation charges.

It should thus be apparent that 1 have accomplished the objects initially set forth by providing a highly improved but simplified rack for archery bows and arrows. Although an illustrated embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it should be apparent that many changes may be made therein. Accordingly, reference should be had to the following appended claims in determining the true scope and intent of this invention.

I claim:

1. An archery rack for holding arrows and a pair of elongated bows each having an enlarged hand grip portion and sma ler end portions comprising a frame-like assembly adapted to be hung on a wall and having a pair of spaced side panels extending outwardly from the wall, means positioned between said panels to store a plurality of arrows in vertically disposed relation, means providing a pair of vertically spaced shelf-like members on either side assembly and extending outwardly of the side panels along the said wall, each of said shelf-like members having a vertical aperture therethrough to receive the smaller end portions of the bows with the apertures in the lowermost of said shelf-like members being of a size to engage and support the enlarged hand grip portions of said bows whereby said bows are suported in vertical relation with the weights thereof being taken on the said enlarged hand grip portions, and certain of said shelflike members having slots extending inwardly from their outer edges into said apertures whereby said bows may be readily inserted in and removed from said shelf-like members.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that said apertures are elongated in a direction normal to the plane of the wall on which the assembly is hung to thereby complement the normal oval cross section of the smaller end portions of the bows and to prevent the bows, when supported in the rack, from excessive twisting about vertical axes.

3. An archery rack for holding elongated bows and both target arrows having slim tips and hunting arrows having larger and barbed tips which comprises a framelike assembly adapted to be hung on a wall to receive the tips and shanks of the arrows in generally vertical relation with the tips in lowermost position, said frame assembly having a lower padded shelf to receive said tips and having an upper transverse and horizontally disposed member, said last mentioned member having a plurality of vertical apertures in its forward portion of a size to receive only the tips and shanks of the target arrows, and said transversely disposed horizontal member having an enlarged opening in its rear portion through which the barbed tips and shanks of the hunting arrows may be vertically passed, said frame-like assembly comprising spaced vertically disposed side panels which are adapted to project forwardly from the wall, said transversely disposed horizontal member extending outwardly of said side panels on either side of said assembly, the project ing portions of said horizontal member each having a vertical aperture to receive a slender portion of a bow spaced from the centrally disposed enlarged hand grip portion of the bow, and means extending outwardly of either side of said assembly below said shelf to receive and retain similar slim portions of the bows, said last mentioned means having means to engage and support the enlarged hand grip portions of the bows, the arrange ment being such that said bows are supported in generally vertical relation on either side of said frame-like assembly with the weight of the bows being taken by the en- :langed hand grip portions thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 402,013 Gable Apr. 23, 1889 499,449 Brenner June 13, 1893 953,331 Grau Mar. 29, 1910 1,135,437 Clegg Apr. 13, 1915 1,642,685 Michaelson Sept.'20, 1927 1,700,274 Smye Jan. 29, 1929 1,981,553 Jackson Nov. 20, 1934 2,591,041 Berg Apr. 1, 1952 2,616,566 Levy Nov. 4, 1952 2,623,639 Levy Dec. 30, 1952 2,745,558 Greenspan May 15, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 247,199 Switzerland of 1947 

1. AN ARCHERY RACK FOR HOLDING ARROWS AND A PAIR OF ELONGATED BOWS EACH HAVING AN ENLARGED HAND GRIP PORTION AND SMALLER END PORTIONS COMPRISING A FRAME-LIKE ASSEMBLY ADAPTED TO BE HUNG ON A WALL AND HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED SIDE PANELS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE WALL, MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID PANELS TO STORE A PLURALITY OF ARROWS IN VERTICALLY DISPOSED RELATION, MEANS PROVIDING A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED SHELF-LIKE MEMBERS ON EITHER SIDE ASSEMBLY AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF THE SIDE PANELS ALONG THE SAID WALL, EACH OF SAID SHELF-LIKE MEMBERS HAVING A VERTICAL APERTURE THERETHROUGH TO RECEIVE THE SMALLER END PORTIONS OF THE BOWS WITH THE APERTURES IN THE LOWERMOST OF SAID SHELF-LIKE MEMBERS BEING OF A SIZE TO ENGAGE AND SUPPORT THE ENLARGED HAND GRIP PORTIONS OF SAID BOWS WHEREBY SAID BOWS ARE SUPPORTED IN VERTICAL RELATION WITH WEIGHTS THEREOF BEING TAKEN ON THE SAID ENLARGED HAND GRIP PORTIONS, AND CERTAIN OF SAID SHELF- 